Foundation garment



` Aug- 2,5 1959 v. R. CUNNINGHAM 2,900,984

FOUNDATION GARMENT Original Filed Aug. 30, 1955 United States Patent O FOUNDATION GARMENT Violet Ruth Cunningham, Stockton, Calif., assignor to Cunning Controller Corporation, Stockton, Calif., a corporation of California 3 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 556) This invention relates to a foundation garment for women; the present application being a continuation of my application, Serial No. 531,346, tiled August 30, 1955, now abandoned.

The major object of this invention is to provide a foundation garment of the character noted designed to conform to proper body contours, or to correct improper body posture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foundation garment so constructed that no hose supporters or other devices are required to keep it in position on the rwearer.

A further object of the invention is to construct the garment so that the body of the wearer below the garment has freedom of action, while adequately supporting the spinal column, and strain on the spinal area is relieved. Also, support is given to that part of the body not supported by the body skeleton, and the garment is an aid to flabby front muscles by providing lifting support to each side of the spinal column.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical foundation garment, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such pattern and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the garment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the garment as being worn.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the garment.

It may be noted that Figs. 1 and 3 show the garment as if filled out or being worn.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the foundation garment is in the form of a corset or girdle which includes a front panel 1, side panels 2, and a back panel 3. The lower and upper edges 4 and 5 of the side panels slope or incline toward each other from their forward to their rear end; the incline of the lower edge 4 being somewhat more pronounced than the incline of the upper edge 5.

The side panels 2 are form-tit or shaped to the waist adjacent but short of the related upper edge 5, as at 6, and said side panels 2 extend to the back panel 3, and at their rear edges are secured to said back panel, which is relatively narrow and of constant width. The back panel 3 is of elastic material, with the upper edge 7 and the lower edge S of said panel extending straight transversely thereof.

The front panel 1 tapers downwardly-ie. from its upper edge 9 to its lower edge 1li-and said edges are curved upwardly and downwardly, respectively. By reason of such curvature of the edges 9 and 10, the front panel 1, while substantially the same height as the side panels at adjacent vertical edges, is centrally of substantially greater height.

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The front panel 1 is detachably secured in place in the garment, the securing means being a vertical row of hooks 11 along each side edge 12 of such front panel 1; the adjacent or forward edge portions `13 of the side panels 2 each being provided with a pair of vertical, transversely spaced rows of eyes, the eyes of the inner row being indicated at 14, and the eyes of the outer row being indicated at 15.

By selective engagement of the hooks 11 with the row of eyes 14 or 15 on each edge of the side panels 2, an adjustment of the size of the garment can be readil accomplished.

Also, by engaging the hooks 11 in higher or lower ones of the eyes 14 or 15 relative vertical adjustment of said front panel 1 can be obtained.

In order to prevent sagging of the garment, or curling over of the upper or lower portionswhile also imparting a certain amount of desired stiffness-the garment is fitted in the front panel 1 with a pair of transversely spaced front stays 16 which diverge somewhat in an upward direction; a single side stay 17 in each side panel at a point substantially centrally of its width; and a pair of back stays 18 which are parallel and which separate or are disposed between the side panels 2 and the narrow elastic `rear panel 3. As is conventional, the stays are of a resilient character and are secured in elongated pockets formed in the related panels of the garment. These six stays, properly positioned as described, are all that are required for adequate and eiicient body-part support, and-as a result-the improved `garment maybe made much lighter than other garments of a like nature now in use, while at the same time greater effectiveness is obtained. t

Although the garment is equally effective without the use of garters or the like, provision is made for the use thereof by including garter loops 19 on the lower edge 10 of the front panel 1, and other garter loops Z0 on the lower edge of the side panels 2; said loops being preferably disposed adjacent the stays 16 and 17, respectively.

With a garment constructed as above described, it is relatively high at the front, slopes downwardly and rearwardly at the sides, and is relatively low at the back. This is an important feature in that the garment at the front top portion extends to and embraces the rib cage of the wearer, and at the lower portion at the back extends down below the sacroilac region of the wearers back and embraces the pelvic curve. The height at the front of the garment-ie. at the top of the front panel 1-is enhanced and proper coverage is assured by reason of the arching of the upper edge 9 of said panel.

Further, as the upper edge 7 of the back panel 3 is considerably lower than the corresponding edge 9 of the front panel 1by reason of the inclined edges 5 of the side panels 2--the garment is not too high at the back, and is quite comfortable. Similarly, the incline of the lower edges 4 of the side panels 2 makes it possible for the garment to extend down a substantial distance at the back, as aforesaid, while the lower edge 10 of the front panel 1 extends downwardly to a termination in a much higher plane, yet sufficient to provide proper abdominal support. In this latter connection the downward taper of the front panel 1 is of advantage in that such panel better supports the external oblique muscles.

Additionally, proper iit of the garment is accomplished not only by the tension imposed by the back panel 3, but also by the upward tapering of the side panels 2 with the form-fitting thereof to the waist, as at 6.

The narrow elastic back panel 3 gives freedom to the spinal column of the wearer, while the stays 18 bordering said panel give adequate and sturdy support, and relieves the spine of strain by placing the frontal lift lasaooelt l 3 or pull on either side of but adjacent the spine rather than directly on the spinal area.

Aufurther feature, toV give a `proper lit, is the adjustable connection, by means ofthe hooks 11 and -the eyes V14-for 15, of the front panel l1 at-the side edges with the corresponding edges of the s ide panels 2. Such hookand-eye connection arrangement also makes possible the complete detachment of the front panel land the substitution of another'such panel having variantvwidth.

It will also be noted -that the `front panel 1 may be adjusted up or down somewhat relative to the remainder of the garment, as the requirements `or desires ofthe 'wearer-may dictate.

With the described foundation garment or-corset the body balance `of the wearer is greatly improved, to -the Iend that there is excellent bodyrposture and electiyegure control. .f

It should also be noted, that this is not a maternity gar- '.ment, but rather is a style and general health belt.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a garment as will Ysubstantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set Patent are desired:

1. A foundation garment comprising a front panel, side panels and back panel, all of said panels beingconnected'together along their adjacent edges andthe back `panel being of elastic material and of relatively narrow parallel-sided form so as to extend along the `spinal area only of the wearer, and a pair of laterally spaced stays in the front panel intermediate its side edges and diverging upwardly; said stays extending from top to bottom of said front panel.

2. A form tting foundation garment comprising a front panel, side panels and back panel, all of said panels being connected together along their adjacent edges and the back panel being of elastic material and of relatively narrow parallel-sided form so as to extend along the spinal area only of the wearer, a pair of laterally spaced stays in the front panel intermediate its side edges, a pair of upstanding stays positioned between the side and back panels, and a single upstanding stay in each side panel substantially midway of the width thereof; all said stays extending the full height of the panels.

3. A foundationgarment comprising a front panel, side panels and a back panel, all of said panels being con- .nected together along their adjacent edges andthe back References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

